Indigenous Canada: History and Contemporary Perspectives

In this introductory module, students learn the significance of stories and storytelling in Indigenous societies.

This module discusses pre-contact trading systems between Indigenous peoples of North America with a focus on the geographical region of Canada.

Examines Indigenous and settler perspectives of treaty making. Discusses the variation of treaties in Canada and the unique circumstances surrounding these events.

This lesson begins with a discussion about what is distinctive in Indigenous legal traditions. Explores impacts of policies put in place as British North America attempted to solidify itself geographically and socially.

Outlines characteristics of teaching and learning in Indigenous communities, and discusses how relationships were critical in teaching and learning.

This lesson examines the burgeoning resistance of Indigenous leaders and the formation of Indigenous-led organizations as the Canadian government employed strategies to encourage assimilation of Aboriginal peoples.

In this lesson students will learn about key characteristics of a few different Indigenous political structures and the impacts of colonialism on these structures.

Utilizing contemporary and traditional examples, this lesson connects Indigenous worldviews and traditional ecological knowledge.

Exploring Indigenous concepts of gender, and the traditional roles and responsibilities, this lesson then moves into an examination of how colonization can be characterized as a gendered project.

Looking critically at the statement: "Cities are the place where Aboriginal culture goes to die", this lesson explores sites of urban Aboriginal agency/active participation, urban Aboriginal governance practices, and urban reserves.

What is an Indigenous concept of community? How do Indigenous people form communities traditionally and today? This module will explain how social and environmental activism can mobilize and create communities.

Finally, we will explore how geographical location, trading networks and partnerships have influenced Indigenous art in the past.